Controlling mechanism for motor-vehicles.



PATENTED JULY 17, 1906.

0. 0. SNYDER. CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR v EHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULYZO. 1905.

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UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES O. SNYDER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 17, 1906.

Application filed July 20, 1905. Serial No. 270,461.

To all whom it may con cern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES O. SNYDER, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of New York, in the borough of Manployed inpractice is to have a plurality of pedals connected, respectively, tothe brake mechanism, to the low and to the high speed clutches, so thatthe motive ower of the vehicle is entirely controllable by the feet ofthe operator, leaving his hands free for steering. Additional means forsetting the brake, such as a hand-lever, is, however, generallyprovided, because in an emergency the brake should be operated in themost direct and positive way and with a high leverag and power.

With the above arrangement a difficulty sometimes arises in practice onaccount of the tendency of the chauffeur when confused or hurried toforget to release the holding pawl of one of the pedals when another isdepressed, so that it may happen that the brake and one of the clutchesis in o eration at the same time, or both of the c utches, which wouldbe likely to damage the mechanism.

It is the purpose .of my invention to devise a structure by which theholding-p awl of any depressed pedal is released when any other pedal ofthe controlling series is depressed.

A further object of my invention is to provide ahand-brake which willserve to release all of the pedals whenever it is applied.

A further object of my invention is to devise a construction which issimple and easy to construct, eflicient in operation, and havin aminimum number of arts.

, INith these and other 0 jects in view my invention consists in theconstruction, combination, location, and arrangement of parts,

all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in theaccompanying drawings, and finally particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a series of foot-pedals having aconstruction embodying the principles of my invention and also showingdiagrammatically the various devices which they respectively operate.Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of one of the pedals, showing it inits normal and in its depressed position.

Referring now to the drawings, and to the views and reference-signsappearing thereon, wherein the same signs designate like parts whereverthey occur, 1, 1 and 1 denote pedal arms or levers journaled to a fixedportion of the frame at 2, 2 and 2 and having heads or pads 3, 3 and 3thereon. I prefer to construct each of the pedals in substantially thesame way, and I have shown a con venient form of construction for thispurpose which is particularly illustrated in Fig. 2. In this figure thehead 3 is pivoted to the arm 1 at 4.- and has attached thereto a deending link 5, which is connected to a paw 6, pivoted at 7 on the arm 1.8 denotes a stationary fixture upon the frame of the machine, which hasan upper surface concentric with the pivot 2 and an end wall or shoulderbehind which the pawl 6 is ada ted to dro when the pedal 3 has beenfully de resse By this means the pedal is locked an held in itsdepressed position until it is released by the action of the operator,who moves his foot to turn the head 3 and raise the pawl 6, after whichany suitable spring (not shown) becomes efiective to return the pedal toits normal position. Such normal position is illustrated by the dottedlines in Fig. 2, the full lines illustrating the depressed positionthereof. The mechanism thus far described is of the ordinary andwell-known construction and forms no part of my present invention.

Journaled within any stationary art of the frame and preferabl withinthe tures 8 I have arranged a roc shaft 9, which extends across theentire series of pedals and has cam-arms 10, 10, and 10 secured thereto.These cam-arms are adapted to lie in the ath of a toe or projection 6upon each of t e pawls 6. While I have arranged the cam 10 to actdirectly upon the pawls in this way, it is obvious that any intermediateconnection may be made in lieu thereof and still fall within theprinciples and scope of my invention.

1 1, 11 and 11 indicate pins upon each of the pedal-arms1,"1 and 1 whichare'disposed beneath the cam-arms 10, and 10 so as to contact therewith,and these cams are formed with inclined surfaces upon their lower sidesto cooperate with the pins and be raised thereby when any pedal isdepressed.

A convenient form of cam, which I have adopted in practice, isillustrated in Fig. 2, and comprises an initial lower surface 12, anincline 13, and a second reverse incline 14, culminating in a flatportion 15. 16 shows a projection on the upper surface of each camarm,which is adapted to lie directly beneath the toe 6 of each pawl 6 whenthe pedal carrying that pawl has been depressed,

For the purpose of rendering my invention more easily understood I havemade a diagrammatic showing of the high and low speed clutches and thebrake mechanism of an automobile, of which (referring to Fig. 1) Adenotes the high or first speed clutch, and B the second or low speedclutch, while C indicates the usual brake mechanism, which may includereversing means for the vehicle as well. It is to be distinctlyunderstood that these parts, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, are ofpurely diagrammatic representation, their construction and dispositionin an actual machine being varied to satisfy the conditions and taste ofany particular designer. It is merely essential for the purpose of myinvention that some sort of connection be provided between such devicesand the operating levers or pedals. Also in diagram matic representationis the hand-brake lever D, which is connected to the brake C through anysort of slotted link connection 17. Attached at some point on thehand-brake mechanism D, I arrange a link 19, having a slotted endengaginga pin 20 upon an arm 21, extending from the rock-shaft 9. Thearm 21 may, if desired, be integral with the cam-arm 10 18, 18, and 18indicate links which are respectively connected to the arms 1, 1, and 1and extend in any suitable or desired manner to the clutches B A and thebrake C, or other mechanism, if necessary.

The operation of my device will be understood from the precedingdescription. Any pedal having been depressed is locked in such relationby its pawl 6?. When now another pedal-as, for example, the pedal 3 isdepressed, the pin 11 slides along the lower surface of the cam-arm 10and coming in contact with the inclined surface 13 raises the cam-armand with it turns the rock-shaft 9. This is effective to rock all of theother camarms 10 and 10, and should any pedal of the series happen to bealready de ressed the projection 16 will contact with t e toe b of suchpedal and lift it out of engagement with Y its fixture 8, whereupon thepedal will be returned to normal position by its usual spring. (Notshown.) It is apparent that whatever pedal is depressed all of the restwill be returned by the action of the rock shaft 9. In any case the pin11 of the pedal which is being operated finally drops behind the incline14 onto the flat surface 15 of the corresponding cam, whereupon its pawl6 is not further disturbed and is effectiveto hold that pedal depressed.When the foot-pedal 3 is depressed, the brake is operated through theconnection 18 and the hand-lever D remains idle by virtue of the slottedlink connection 17. When the hand-lever D is op erated, the link 19 isthrust forward and engaging the pin 20 rocks all of the cam-arms upward,releasing all of the foot-pedals. The slotted link connection 19 permitsthe normal operation of the pedals, however, when it is desired not tomanipulate the handle D.

What I claim is 1. A controlling system for motor-vehicles comprising aplurality of pedals and means connected to each of the pedals forreleasing a plurality of the remaining pedals ofthe series when it isdepressed.

2. In a controlling system for motor-vehicles, a plurality of pedals,pawls connected thereto and engaging a stationary part of the frame,connections to each pedal-head'for releasing its pawls, and additionalconnections for releasing all of them simultaneously. 7 3. In acontrolling system for motor-ve hicles, a plurality of pedals havingheads, pawls on said pedals, connections between said heads and pawls,fixtures for engaging said pawls, and a rock-shaft operated by thedepression of any pedal for releasing said pawls.

4. Ina controlling system for motor-vehicles, a plurality of pedals,pawls on said pedals, fixtures for engaging said pawls, a rock-shafthaving cam-arms arranged to contact with said pawls, and means forturning said rock-shaft when any pedal is depressed.

5. In a controlling system for motor-vehicles, a plurality of pedals,pawls upon said pedals, fixtures having lugs orshoulders to engage saidpawls, a rock-shaft, cam-arms upon said rock-shaft having inclines ontheir lower surfaces, and means upon the pedals for riding upon saidinclined surfaces.

6. In a controlling system for motor vehicles, a plurality of pedalshaving lockingpawls, a roclshaft,cam-arms extending from said rock-shaftadjacent to each of the pedals projections upon the pedals formed toengage said cam-arms, said arms being arran' ed to contact with andraise said pawls w en lifted.

, 7. In a controlling system for motor-vehicles, a plurality of pedals,locking means for said pedals, a rock-shaft having camarms thereon, saidcam-arms being formed with an inclined face on their lower -side, and adepression beyond said face, and a part 'op= erated by the depression ofeach pedal for con-- ITO tacting with said face and depression, wherebythe cam-arm is first lifted and then depressed.

8. In a controlling system for motor-vehicles, a plurality of pedalshavin locking means for holding them in depresse relation, a rock-shaftconnected to relase said lockin means, cam-arms thereon having inclinefaces and de ressions on said arms, and means upon the pe als contactingwith the said face and depressions, whereby the arms are first lifted torelease the locking means and then lowered.

9. In a controlling system for motor-vs hicles, a plurality of pedalshaving locking means for retaining them in depressed position, arock-shaft for releasing all of said locking means and having cam-armsthereon, and pins upon each of the pedals for contacting with eachcam-arm when 1ts edal is depressed, to raise said cam-arm an release allthe locking means, and then lower said camarm to relock the pedal whichis depressed.

10. In a controlling system for motor-vehicles, a series of pedalshaving locking means for holding them in'depre'ssed position, arockshafthaving means for releasing said lockin means, cam-faces upon saidrock-shaft, an means connected with each pedal for cooperating with saidcam-faces to shift and then return said rock-shaft.

11. In a controlling system for motor-ve hicles, a plurality of pedalshaving locking means for holding them in depressed position and ahand-brake having a connection for releasing all of said locking means.

12. In a controlling system for motor-vehicles, a plurality of pedalshaving locking means for holding them in depressed position, a brake, aconnection from one of said pedals to said brake, a hand-lever, and aslotted connection from said hand-lever to said brake.

13. In a controlling system for motor-vehicles, a plurality of pedalshaving locking means for holding them in depressed position, a brake,connections from one of said pedals to said brake, a brake -handle,slotted link connections between said brake-handle and brake, and asecond link having a slotted connection for releasing said lockingmeans.

14. In a controlling system for motor-vehicles, a plurality of pedals,afirst and a second speed-clutch and pedals connected thereto havingmeans for locking the same in depressed position, a brake, a third pedaland connections between said brake and pedal including devices forreleasing said locking means.

15. A controlling system for motor-vehicles, comprising clutches, abrake mechanism, pedals for operating said clutches and means forholding the pedal in depressed position, a brake-pedal and means forholding it in depressed position, a hand-lever, and

means whereby the operation of any of said pedals or the hand-lever ismade effective to release all the pedals.

16. In a controlling system for motor-ve hicles, a plurality ofclutches, pedals connected thereto, a brake, a hand-lever and a pedalconnected thereto, said connection including means whereby the pedal maybe actuated without the operation of the hand-lever and means forreleasing all of the pedals when any of them or the handle is operated.

17. A controlling system for motor-vehicles comprising a plurality ofoperating devices, and means connected to each of the operating devicesfor releasing all or part of the remaining operating devices of theseries when one is depressed.

. In Witness whereof I subscribe my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

CHAS. O. SNYDER.

